Oldchurch Hospital originated from the Romford Union workhouse, which
had been built during 1838 and 1839 to the southwest of Romford.

The 5-acre site on Oldchurch Road was purchased by the Union from a Mr
Philpot at £160 an acre. The 2-storey workhouse building
was cruciform, a popular design with the dormitory blocks laid
out in a cross-shape. It could house 450 inmates.

The administration block was at the south of the site, while the main
accommodation blocks radiated from a central hub. Observation
windows in the hub enabled the workhouse master to observe the inmates
in each of the four exercise yards. The dormitories and Day Rooms
for the female inmates were on the eastern side in the northeast and
southeast arms of the cross, while the males occupied the western side
in the northwest and southwest arms. The kitchens and dining
rooms were located at the north of the building.

In 1893 the workhouse was renamed the Romford Poor Law Institution.
An infirmary block was added at the north of the site.

During WW1 the infirmary of the Institution became the Romford Military Hospital, an auxiliary hospital for the
Colchester Military Hospital, with 82 beds for wounded and sick
servicemen.

In 1924 further additions were built at the north and east of the site.

In 1929, following the abolition of the Poor Law Guardians, the
workhouse and its infirmary came under the administration of Essex
County Council, who converted the buildings into the Oldchurch County
Hospital.

The Hospital, which incorporated the old workhouse buildings, was much
expanded during the 1930s to have over 800 beds. Hainault Lodge became an annexe to provide accommodation for elderly chronically ill female patients.

In 1948 the Hospital joined the NHS under the control of the Romford
Group Hospital Management Committee, part of the North East
Metropolitan Regional Hospital Board.

In 1950 it had 750 beds for general and maternity cases but, by 1952, some 718 beds.

It remained an acute hospital and, by 1962, it had 651 beds for acute
and maternity patients.

In 1974, following a major reorganisation of the NHS, the Hospital came
under the control of the Havering District Health Authority, part of
the Barking and Havering Area Health Authority of the North East Thames
Regional Health Authority. Its maternity services had closed and
it had 629 beds for acute cases.

In 1980 it had 600 beds. In 1982, after another NHS
reorganisation, it came under the control of the Barking, Havering and
Brentwood District Health Authority. By 1986 it had 530 beds.

In 1993, following another NHS reform, the Hospital was under the
control of the Havering Hospitals NHS Trust.

In 2000 it had 473 beds. Despite local opposition, the old
cruciform workhouse building was demolished so that a temporary
single-storey building could be erected in its place.

The Hospital closed in 2006, with the last patient being seen on 15th
December. Services were transferred to the nearby newly built Queen's
Hospital and to the King George
Hospital in Chadwell Heath.

Present status (February 2008)

The site has been sold and is being
redeveloped by E.ON
and Taylor Wimpey East London. The front parts of the Hospital
have been demolished and keyworker housing - Reflections
- is being erected in the northeast corner. The southeast corner
is bare, awaiting house-building.

The
western entrance and lodge off Oldchurch Road with signage stating the
Hospital is closed.

Some of
the buildings still await the demolition crews.

A few old
buildings survive beside the new housing being built.
The site along
Oldchurch Road (left) and the western end, seen from Dagenham Road
(right).

The east
end of the site has all been demolished
(above and below).

Keyworker
housing being built along Waterloo Road.

Signage
for the new apartment blocks.Looking back down
Waterloo Road, the new PFI-financed Queen's
Hospital can be seen in the distance (left). The new Hospital
is adjacent to the site of the former Oldchurch Hospital (right).

Update:
May 2011

Building
is still in progress.

Oldchurch Hospital Nurses' Home

The only surviving part of the Nurses'
Home, built in 1929, is now due to be demolished for new housing
in 2013.

These photographs were taken in 2004,
just before most of the buildings were demolished.